Sample Interview Questions for Cabin Crew

This time we will discuss what possible questions will be asked during the interview. Cabin crew interviews are tricky and can be tough, especially if one is not prepared. To be able to have an excellent interview, here are some examples of Cabin Crew interview questions and how to answer correctly and confidently.

1. "Tell us about yourself." This is one of the most common questions you can expect to be asked at the interview. Do not be fooled by the informal tone of this question and try to "wing-it" or ramble along. This is a question that can prove what sets you apart from the other candidates. Try to describe yourself in a sentence or two and give the interviewer a brief "synopsis" or your "major selling point", what your major strengths are and in what way you can benefit the company if they do decide to hire you.
2. "Why do you want to join ***** airlines?" This is where your research into the airline company will come in handy. Say specific things which you have learned about them, such as their background and future plans, etc. You will want to express your great interest about the Cabin Attendant position and along with "solid proof" that you are the right candidate for the job.
   
3. "How do you see yourself in 5 years?" To answer this question, state what your short term goals are, in relation to your position as Cabin Attendant. The purpose of this question is that the interviewer is trying to see your professional ambition and aspirations.
   
4. "Do you prefer to work with others or alone?" This is a trick question. This will determine if you are cabin attendant material or not. Of course the obvious answer would be that you prefer to work in a team. Cabin attendants always work in teams. Before every flight, they conduct preflight briefings during which cabin crew assigned to the flight are introduced to each other, checked for physical, mental and emotional readiness to fly and given their respective duties and responsibilities on board the aircraft. This camaraderie is continued from beginning of the flight, when they leave home base, till they finally comeback to their home base and conduct their post flight debriefing.
5. "What are your strengths and weaknesses?" State whatever specific strengths and capabilities you may have, in relation to the job, and be able to give solid examples as well. In stating weaknesses, be sure to reveal a small but insignificant weakness and be able to turn it into a strength if possible.
   
6. "Why should we hire you?" Give them a very brief but significant "selling point" or "signature" that will show how different you are from the other candidates.
   
7. "What would you do if you were faced with an angry passenger?" Knowledge in customer service procedures and ways of handling conflict will be the key to answering this question. Give the interviewer specific instances or experiences you've had when you dealt with an irate customer or how you resolved a conflict in the past. The interviewer will try to discern if you have effective problem solving skills and can handle pressure when faced with a difficult and stressful situation.
   
8. "What would you do if you accidentally spilled something on your passenger?" The best answer would be to apologize, if what you spilled was something hot and the customer ended up being scalded, immediately administer first-aid. Offer to have the soiled clothing cleaned (some airlines even foot the dry cleaning bill if the stain is really severe) and inform your supervisor of what happened.
   
9. "What is the most difficult situation you've ever faced and how did you resolve it?" Be able to give specific situations about how you handled conflict in the workplace. The interviewer wants to determine how you handle stressful situations and pressure in the work place and how you will work in a team environment.
10. "Tell me about your last company/employer and why you resigned?" Be honest and state the reason when and why you left your previous company. If you're still working for the company, state why you want to leave.
    
11. "Do you and have you ever made mistakes? " We are human, therefore we tend to make mistakes. State specific situations and admit to making small and insignificant mistakes in your workplace and specifically state your experience, how you handled it and whether you learned something from it.
    
12. "What do you know about our company?" State specific information about the company which you have learned from previously researching about them, like who is their CEO, what their future plans are, what kind of aircraft they have, etc. Be sure to research the airline company before your interview. Most information are readily available from their company website, magazines, news and press releases, etc. It will definitely impress the interviewer if you know so much about the company and it shows your enthusiasm and real interest in joining their company as a member of their cabin crew.
    
13. "If we decide to hire you, what would you bring to the company?" Sell yourself by stating your specific strengths in relation to the responsibilities of being a member of their cabin crew.
    

These are just some of the questions the interviewer may ask during the cabin crew interview. Try conducting practice or mock interviews so that you are better prepared in successfully giving a good impression and confidently answering any questions.

For more English learning advice for Cabin Crew please remember to subscribe to our blog and visit http://www.aviationenglish.asia/english-for-flight-attendants/in-flight-english.html

7 Keys to Making a Great First Impression at the Cabin Crew Interview

This article was contributed to English for Cabin Crew
http://aviationenglishasia.blogspot.com by Angel

You have just been handed a once in a lifetime opportunity, you very first interview for the airline of you choice and a chance to land the job of your dreams! Now what? To be able to finally achieve your ultimate goal of becoming a cabin crew member, it is essential for you to have a successful interview. Airline representatives usually conduct the interview and they will be looking for those with the most potential. Today we will be discussing some interview questions the airline representatives can possibly ask and some tips to how we can answer them accordingly.

It is important to come very well prepared to the Cabin Crew interview. Remember, this is your chance to prove to them that you are the best candidate for the job. So as a general rule, here are some ways you can prepare yourself for that big day.

1. Research the Airline Company. As a general rule, this should always be the first step. Not only will you be able to determine if this company is the right one for you, it is also a very crucial element in determining if the interview will be successful or not. Not only will it impress the interviewer, but it can also prepare you so that you will be able to answer any questions regarding the airline if they will include it in your interview. So before the interview, be sure to review the airline company's website and read up on the company's background, future plans and other relevant information. It is also helpful to Google the company name and try to get some more information about the company.
2. Good Grooming. Interviews conducted by airlines usually require the applicant to be in Corporate Attire. So, if you don't already own a suit it is wise to invest in a good quality matching suit. Good grooming is also an essential preparation before the interview, if not the most important. Cabin Crew are considered as the official front-line representatives of the airline. Grooming must always be perfect. So aside from looking smart in your suit, be sure that you smell good (although it would be recommended to use mild and not overpowering perfume or colognes), your hair is neatly in place (the hair tied into a neat bun would be the best choice for women and a classic tapered haircut for men) and your fingernails are neat and trimmed. For women, it is best to have make up that is minimal, simple and not distracting. A properly groomed and neat outer appearance reflects self-confidence and professionalism to the interviewers.
3. Study your CV and other documents. Educational and professional background is always a part of the interview process and some interview questions will be according to the former. Be prepared to answer any questions confidently and thoroughly regarding dates of employment, why you left the company and when, etc. The interviewer wants to know about your past experiences and will be able to determine if you are the ideal candidate for the cabin attendant position.
4. Watch your body language. We can find a lot about a person by simply studying his body language. In order to exude a positive image, you have to watch your actions. Stay calm, smile, greet your interviewer confidently. You have to appear open and approachable, avoid negative body language (like slouching, avoiding the interviewer's eyes when answering a question, crossing your arms, etc.).
5. Mock Interview. In order to come fully prepared for the interview, why not practice? Try this with a friend or by yourself. Visualize how the interview will be, practice how you will act and what you will say, from the moment you greet the receptionist to the interview itself. Find out what possible questions they may ask and practice how you're going to answer them confidently. Study your posture, your gestures, your handshake, how you will enter or exit the interview room.
6. Be Punctual. Being punctual shows how responsible a person is. If the interview is to start at 8 am for example, be there at least 10 to 15 minutes early. If possible, before the interview day itself, try to visit the place where it will be held so you can calculate how much time you need to get there and avoid getting lost.
7. Your Exit. After the interview, remember to thank your interviewer, shake hands, turn and walk out. If it is possible, follow up by writing a thank you note and state once again your interest in becoming a member of their cabin crew team.
   

"Being forewarned is being forearmed" as the saying goes. Just as we shouldn't be caught unawares by any situation we may face, we should always come prepared to any interview we attend, especially to the Cabin Crew interview. Next time we will discuss what possible interview questions will be asked in the Cabin Crew interview.

For more English learning advice from Cabin Crew, please subscribe to our blog and visit http://www.aviationenglish.asia/english-for-flight-attendants/in-flight-english.html

Preventing Miscommunication between Airline Passengers and Cabin Crew

This article was contributed to English for Cabin Crew http://aviationenglishasia.blogspot.com by Angel

In this post I'm going to give some examples of how we can communicate with passengers who might not be able to understand English, and also explain some airline vocabulary in simple alternative words.

Cabin crew's purpose is to ensure that each of their passengers receive VIP treatment, like a being in a flying five-star hotel hotel AND more importantly, ensure their safety while they are enjoying the flight. This is why before you can even step foot into an aircraft's cabin, you have to undergo rigorous training. During your training, you learn how to fight a fire (like firemen), treat ailments ranging from a simple nose-bleed to delivering a baby (like medical practitioners), serve entrées and remember what wine compliments which food. Training manuals become like your bible, you live and breathe airline terms such as, “ARM YOUR DOOR”, “SECURE THE CABIN”, “SILENT REVIEW”, and other airline terms that might seem strange and confuse non-airline people. This is why when we are talking to our passengers, we should be careful not to use these kind of "internal" words.

First of all, passengers do not need to know and understand everything about our job. Our passengers will come from different parts of the world, and part of our duty as cabin crew is to be “culturally aware”. We have to be sensitive about what we say or do, because different nationalities behave and have traditions or practices that are different from others. What's important is that they can understand how they can be safe while they are on board our flight. How do we do it?

The universal language used around the world is ENGLISH therefore we need to know how to communicate well and choose which words to use when dealing with different nationalities. By making our language simple and using words they can easily understand or using body language to communicate what we mean, even if a passenger doesn't speak or understand English at all.

Here is some airline lingo/jargon we often use followed by alternative ways of speaking and expressing yourself so passengers can understand what you mean:


“Please FASTEN your seat belt” - the meaning is clear, but to some who don't understand this, you can gesture how to do it, or by doing it for them after asking them for permission to do so.

To a passenger who won't stay seated even if the seat belt sign is on: “Passengers keep your seats”, may sound strange to some, so you can instead say, “Please remain seated until the fasten seat belt sign comes off”. Or if they don't understand English you can gesture your hands up and down as if to say, please sit down.

If a passenger asks, why do I have to turn off my mobile phone/electronic gadgets before take off and landing, don't tell them “Because it's an aviation regulation, or airline policy” because they won't understand and most likely they will ignore this. Instead tell them that electronic gadgets have to be switched off because it can interfere with the aircraft's electronic system, we have to keep them off, it's for your safety and the safety of your fellow passengers. Giving them a reason is more likely to ensure co-operation.

“SEAT BELTS FASTENED, SEAT BACKS UPRIGHT,  TRAY TABLES STOWED, FOOTREST STOWED”- Trust me, this is one of the most confusing phrases passengers hear on every flight. To passengers who don't know what this means, just say “seat belt on (while gesturing with your hand as if connecting the two ends of the belt together), seats back in position (or just assist them, because a lot of them forget how to do it after a 9-hour flight), Tray tables up (try to gesture with your hands or better yet, do it for them), and foot rests up (then point towards their feet and make a gesture to imply what you mean).

“OVERHEAD STOWAGE”- simply means the storage compartment above your head.

“ESTIMATED TIME OF ARRIVAL/DEPARTURE- simply means the time we are going to leave and what time we are going to reach our destination.

“EMERGENCY EXITS”- this is very important because it can be a case of life or death when there's an emergency on board your flight. Just tell them, in case of an emergency and we have to leave the plane (on life or death situations such as a big fire or smoke in the cabin) you have to leave through those doors and then point to that direction).

“PLEASE CLEAR THE AISLES/BULKHEAD OF ANY DEBRIS”- this simply means we have to remove any items such as trash, cups, candy wrappers, etc., off the floor of the cabin. The bulkhead is the physical partition that divides the classes of the aircraft (economy, business, first). Just tell passengers to politely pick up anything left on the floor and politely explain that this is to avoid anyone slipping on anything on the floor.

These are just some of the airline terms you are bound to learn while training to be cabin crew and hopefully the alternative ways of expressing them to your future passengers will prove helpful and will give you ideas how to communicate with those who can't understand English.

For more English learning advice for cabin crew please subscribe to our blog and visit http://www.aviationenglish.asia/english-for-flight-attendants/in-flight-english.html.